TUI Teachers from Coláiste Gleann Lí in Clash, Ciara Walsh, Mike Quirke, Anthony Dineen, Norma Breen, Ann-Marie O’Kelly and John Joe Roche taking part in the official strike on Tuesday, December 2. Photo by Dermot Crean
SECONDARY school teachers are preparing to take to the picket lines again this Thursday.
Teachers from the ASTI and TUI will take part in the second one day strike in protest over aspects of the framework for Junior Cycle proposals.
Thousands of students stayed at home on Tuesday, December 2, as schools around the country closed for the strike action.
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Leonard O’Donnell, TUI Co. Kerry Branch Chairperson, explained why the teachers were protesting.
‘We remain resolute in our opposition to significant elements of the Junior Cycle proposals, and the overwhelming support for our position from the public during last month’s strike day was greatly encouraging,” he said.
“Teachers will always support positive, fully resourced change that guarantees improvement, but we are gravely concerned by the potential for damage posed by the proposals,” he said.
Mr O’Donnell said teachers support a first class Junior Cycle for all students, including a move away from a reliance on final written examinations and the promotion of different types of assessment, including more practical, project and portfolio work.
“However, we believe that the introduction of school-based assessment for certification purposes would seriously compromise the credibility and transparency of the examinations process. It would also significantly change the relationship between teacher and student,” he said.
Mr O’Donnell said there are also concerns about the capacity at system and school level to accommodate the changes proposed.
“Parents will be only too aware of the damage that several years of austerity cutbacks have inflicted on schools. Class sizes have increased and the school support system has been dismantled with deep cuts to guidance counselling provision and the loss of vital positions such as year head,” he continued.
“In taking further strike action on Thursday, we are seeking to protect national education standards, equity and fairness,” he said.
